Weld Historical Society President Sean Minear has been posting pictures and other memorabilia daily on the You Know You’re From Weld Maine If Facebook page since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, June 18, he shared an article that appeared in an August 1910 edition of the Maine Woods. Maine Woods was a newspaper published in Phillips.

A photograph from the Maine Woods, a Phillips newspaper published in the early 1900s, Millard Ezra Pratt, mentioned in the Maine Woods article was the grandfather of longtime local teacher Sharon Cram. Alton Swett was Jean Sickels father. Verne Conant was Caroline Conant’s husband. Henry Coburn’s family owned what is now State Park headquarters on Center Hill. Weld Historical Society photo

This lengthy article is from the Maine Woods newspaper. A LOT of great information here. Weld athletes at that time were competing against Lewiston baseball teams…and winning! The Metropolitan Opera Company was summering here and Anna Held, Broadway star and mistress of Flo Ziegfeld, was going to be in town the next year. Heady stuff indeed. Though not talked about much now, our local fish hatchery was premier in the state. Imagine; 165,000 trout and salmon were raised and released into Webb Lake that year. Enjoy!

Weld Outing Notes (Special to Maine Woods.) Weld, Me., Aug. 15, 1910. The Lewiston Pilgrims journeyed to Weld on Wednesday last. Three ball games were played on Aug. 10, 11 and 12. The first was a 14 inning frame, resulting in a tie, 4 to 4, being called off on account of darkness. The second game was won by Weld. 11 to 13. On Friday, the Pilgrims squared themselves, taking the game in good style, 5 to 1. Seldom has better ball playing been seen on these grounds. Pratt, Weld’s premier pitcher, threatens to break into fast company if he keeps up the present pace.

It is alleged that Mr. E. M. Osier of Philadelphia has partially shot several pole cats. He will not return to Philadelphia until late in the fall. It might be added that skunks are most plentiful. Abe Tainter killed one the other night with an axe. Abe had his nerve with him. He came off victorious—not a smell.

A 90 horsepower 1911 Mercedes. Weld Historical Society photo

The Pine Point camp of John R. Duke has just been occupied by several members of the Metropolitan Opera Company. It is reported that Anna Held has rented it for next summer. Mr. E. G. Marble of the Osier & Marble camp has arrived from Providence in his 90 horse-power Mercedes. Please keep all small children off the street.

Miss Ethel Russell is visiting at Augusta. We hear that Miss Madge Houghton is soon to corner the paper market.

With three dances, four mountain climbing parties, numerous ball games and chowder parties, we have not been idle. The August crowd has arrived. Every cottage is taken including the Maples. Dave Robinson, our tonsorial artist, has been distributing free smokes with every shave. Hurrah fer Dave!

Mr. Hazard Dunning, a protege of the Wright Bros., has arrived with two Wright bi-planes. He purposes to fly across the lake on Wednesday next. Mr. L. G. Blunt has been entertaining his father over Sunday. Mr. F. S. Edgerley of Cambridge, Mass., has been flitting about the lake in his new sailing dory. It might be added that Fred often has to row home. R. Owen Dummer is just finishing a 16-footer. Marblehead won’t be in it when Greek meets Greek.

The Lake Webb Fish, Game and Guides Association built this fish hatchery on Mill Street near Houghton Brook in Weld. Weld Historical Society photo

The annual meeting of the Fish, Game and Guides’ association was held Saturday night. The president’s report showed that since the building of the new hatchery, which, by the way, is one of the finest in this state, 165,000 trout and salmon have been hatched and put into the brooks. The following resolutions were passed: (1) to screen the outlet of Webb lake; (2) to clean and deepen the end at the hatchery; (3) to apply to state authorities for aid as to resolution (4) and for more fish. The following officers were re-elected: President and superintendent, F. S. Schofield; vice presidents, R. E. Scamman, E. J. Osier, 2nd, Harry B. Austin, Don Gates, John Harlow; secretary, H. G. Swett; treasurer, H. M. Barrett.

More Trout and Salmon for Lake Webb. A few facts for the cottagers and citizens of Weld, which show at a glance what the Fish, Game and Guides’ association has done in the past year and what it proposes to do in the coming year to improve the fishing in Lake Webb. At a meeting of this association, August 23, 1909, it was voted to build and operate a hatchery. On September 20, 1909, the work was begun. A hatchery, 24×16, a pond and the necessary water connections were completed in time to be of use in caring for the trout spawn taken, from native fish. In order to do this work, money was obtained from two sources. The sum of $319.67 was raised among the citizens of Weld who are members of this association, while the cottagers contributed $89.00. It may be well to state here that if the hatchery had been constructed under ordinary conditions the cost would have exceeded $1,000. This saving of about $500 may properly be credited to the public spirit manifested by the townspeople in supplying materials at cost and in giving labor. The total cost of the hatchery was $499.45 and the amount collected was $408.67. This leaves a deficit of $90.78. Since the hatchery was constructed it has cared for the following amount of spawn and young fish: 10.000 salmon received from the state hatchery at Auburn, Me.; 100,000 trout spawn from the same source; 15,000 trout spawn from the U. S. hatchery at Green Lake, Me.; and 40.000 salmon spawn taken from local fish. This makes a grand total of 165.000. These spawn and fish were cared for at the hatchery last winter and in the spring the small fish were turned into the stream tributary to Lake Webb. The maintenance of this hatchery has been cared for in part by an appropriation of $100 voted at the last town meeting. The association proposes to do the following during the coming year: To pay off the present indebtedness; to petition the state for an amount sufficient to fix the dam and screen the outlet; to take both trout and salmon spawn from lake fish this fall and care for the same at the hatchery; to operate the hatchery to its fullest capacity and endeavor in every way to secure the best interests of the cottagers and townspeople. Are you interested, and how much will you give? Money may be given to the collector, R. G. Dummer. The secretary, H. G. Swett, will be equally glad to receipt for any amount you care to leave with him for the association. The following endorsement of our work in the past year has just been given us by Mr. J. W. Brackett, chairman of the fish and game commission: “I have inspected the hatchery at Weld and consider it a very good one. I hope sufficient funds will be procured to make it possible to continue the work.”

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